ABC - O is for oystercatchers.If you are inland you may never of heard of this bird, or sub specices of bird. A common sight around Ramsey Harbour, and the Promenade and a wonderful sight to see in flight, with the white underbelly, and black overwing.
The oystercatchers are a group of waders; they form the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, Haematopus. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The exception to this is the Eurasian Oystercatcher and the South Island Oystercatcher, both of which breed inland, far inland in some cases. In the past there has been a great deal of confusion as to the species limits, with discrete populations of all black oystercatchers being afforded specific status but pied oystercatchers being considered one single species.
So is this a bird you know or is it a bird you have only ever seen virtually? I was not at all familiar with this bird until I first moved to a coastal setting. Now I am so used to seeing these birds patrol the pebbled shores and sandy beaches of Ramsey, or passing overhead that they are as familiar to be as the garden sparrow.
I am currently offline a lot this week due to having find alternative printing arrangements for my photos. I am definitely going to try Red Bubble, but I'm still looking for somewhere on line that will do reliable prints at a reasonable price over a range of products as I was before. I want my images to still be affordable in varied forms, and don't want anyone being ripped off. So if you know of a reliable print sales site, good quality at prices you would consider paying let me know. It is impossible to get this done on the island. Thanks in advance.
Want to join ABC got the lovely hostess with the mostest, MRS NESBITT'S PLACE
73 comments:
One of my favourite birds - very common on Inishfree. We would hear them from the cottage.
Hello You !
Nice photo, and thank You for the lesson of science...
This is the first time I heard of such bird.. thanks for the info.
My "O" photos are now posted here and here. Hope you can pass by, too! Thanks!
Beautiful photo of Oystercatchers. Here in Crete, Greece I have never seen these birds, but they are beautiful thanks to your photographs.
Ray
You are brave. I think my first reaction when a bunch of birds fly over head is not to look up with my camera. Duck, or run and hide usually win out!
: )
Gorgeous photo! Your photos are are always so pretty and your post are filled with a wealth of info, I enjoy visiting your blog.
For reliable photo printing not sure if they ship to your location but I have used snapfish.com before (shipping is a little pricey) but the quality is great and can get good deals if you preorder credits. My friend uses webshots and she swears by them (webshots.com) but I have never used them before. They are 2 off the top of my head. Hope that helps you.
Thank you Chrissym. That's the kind of thing I'm after. I used to have a very reliable online service, but their do site is not up to standard and I want to retain the qulaity at prices that people can still afford. I'll check both those out.
What a beautiful capture!
Great capture of these beach patroling birds. Good information too.
Ooh, I love coming across blogs like this. Good Pictures, especially the ones of the pier.
Nothing so interesting on mine but you can check out some travel photography and free advice here.
Wonderful!!!
Great capture. I didn't know these birds.
LB,
I know these birds. Hope things get back to normal around here. Blog of note was a kick for sure, but I wanna say for the record,I was here before the wannabes. You gote my vote everyday.
It´s incredible the surprises of the mother nature. The power and the beauty.
That´s a great picture.
Shows how it´s important to take care and to preserve the nature.
;)
That is such an interesting bird. On my walks on the beach here I've seen birds I had never seen in my 50 some years. I love seeing something besides a crow or seagull!
Count me in among those who've never heard of the oystercatcher before! Looks like it's outlined in black, the way you took this shot — pretty!
Congratulations on being declared a Blogger 'blog of note' recently! You truly deserve it, Babooshka!
I've heard of them, but never seen one that I know of, till now of course. Awesome shot! I just caught up with your posts, I've been kind of missing in action ... the Queens Pier shots are exceptional! Well, all of your shots are exceptional!
that's many of them!
I feel we should make ABC Wednesday even trickier by including 'sounds' like 'ch' 'oo' and, of course, 'oy'. You'd win hands down.
Don't forget to look out for Felicity Hamilton!!! She lives in Ramsey and I taught her in Zimbabwe.
Geat photo of the birds in flight! I don't remember seeing them, but with oysters in the Chesapeake Bay, the birds are probably there too.
Oh! GOOd One, BabOOshka! What great rhythm this image has!
Nice pictures
Great post.. Very interesting.. Lovely photos!
Nice birds. I love too lock at the oystercatcher when it is walking in the sand. You have a greate photo of them:)
Great post and beautiful birds!
et deux heures après, c'était le remake des oiseaux d'Hitchcock ;o)
A lovely shot. Apparently the pied oystercatcher is native to Australia; so I will keep a look out.
beautiful crisp shot - love the way it pulls me across the frame
We used to have tons of them on the premises when I was working in Holland (we were right behind the beach dunes). They are an extremely chatty bunch!
Good O choice.
Great shot! And thanks also for the write-up on Oyestercatchers!
Cheers
Rakesh
Very nice blog and some amazing photos... well done.
It reminds me of a flock of birds I see here sometimes in the fall when they are migrating south.
Well, I don't know if I have seen an oystercatcher, or even if they are in the US. My mother lives on the west coast...I'm about to Google them for a close-up!
I like this photo!
Yep! Just Googled and I see we Yanks have a black version; very cute. Will look for them next time I'm in Seattle!
Such a great photo. Thank goodness no one did their business on your head.
Really cool pic
I think this is the first time I have seen these birds, or at least the first time I found out what they were.
Last time I saw oystercatchers was around the grounds of a Distillery on the Isle of Arran - have seen them in the past at several points in the West of Scotland - lovely lopking birds they are.
Oh this is a lovley picture. Makes me think of the beach. Great for us here in London today after snow fell last night!
Civilization don't let this animals live here cities. There is something we are doing badly.
Peaceful photo.
Valery
I haven't been online for a couple of days (another cold). So only today have I caught up with you being a blogger of note. CONGRATS!! I didn't think it would be too long before you received that recognition.
I love oystercatchers, and your photo (naturally!) is perfect. Brings back so many memories.
I've been aware of this bird with the bright orange beak for a several years, but only recently did I learn of it's name... I've never seen such a flock of them, however... Nice photo...
Beautiful B!
WE most often see them on the golf course that runs beside the sea.
Not sure I've seen these before. Their beaks look strong and capable ... didn't realize I had to share my oysters with this flock :)
Great capture of the birds. I haven't heard of them.
Coongratulations on being in 'Blogs of Note'.
According to your description we ought to have them, but neither bell name nor picture make the bell ring.
I've never seen these birds myself, I don't think. They are pretty, though.
I've never heard or seen this bird before.
Thanks for a very informative post.
Bear((( )))
I don'n think I have seen them before in here or in Brittany France where I am from...and we have many oysters there!!
great photos :]
Hi!
Never heard of this bird, but I live in Northeastern Indiana, so wouldn't know them. They are pretty, great photo! Take Care!!
Sherrie
Didn't know the oystercatcher until today. Maybe they are around here too but since our property is not waterfront, maybe I haven't seen them yet.
As for the prints, I am planning to buy an Epson printer and a set of archival inks to print my own black and white work for exhibition and for online sale. Every time I have farmed printing out (30+ years as a photographer) I have been disappointed in the results. Is DIY too time-consuming for you? Just curious.
Cheers!
Thank you for another excellent choice
Pretty!
http://apaintersdiary.blogspot.com/
They look wonderful in a group and their black heads are great.
very nice picture
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woo hoo! You've been featured on Blogger's "Blogs of Note" page. Congrats! This is exciting.
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo
Lovely birds, never seen them before!
Beautiful bird beautifully photographed. I used to see them on the west coast of Africa when I lived there, also Black Oystercatchers.
another great shot... lots of followers u have... :-)
That's a beautiful pic. Thanks!
This is the exact reason I started blogging...experience. Looking at life through someones pictures or words. Beautiful pictures.
I love birds, not in cages though. Congratulations "Blog of Note"
Wow, you're getting a few extra visitors being a blog of note! Probably a bit impossible to visit everyone back!!
I like the Oystercatchers. I hadn't heard of them before.
The original photo elsewhere:
http://aeiou.escape.expresso.pt/community.php?comm=488
Anonymous.
Your link has no images.
This is my original image. I do not take kindly to people ripping off my images. This image is copyrighted, timed, dated and on my sales site.
If you want to show me the proper link so I can check this out that would be great, and also a name or email me if you prefer.
Such lovely birds. I love the noise they make too!
Visiting from Blogger/Blog of Note
:)
Winner, hands down, of all the Os today! Love it, Baboosh, thank you!
Your oystercatchers look like the American seagulls. Wonderful shot!
I never seen those birds before. Thanks for sharing. The picture is great. I tried to take picture of bird flying before but none is good. Is it b'cos I use pocket camera?
Hi Babboshka, interesting post and a nice shot. We have the black oyster catchers in our area, though the European ones have been known to visit in the past. Since your last visit I have done a post on the threat of a development to our local oyster catchers, which are endangered.
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